Sameer Khan, 20, of Kingfisher Drive, Redhill, and Umang Sharma, 18, of Bonehurst Road, Horley , were part of a group of around eight men who attacked two others as they sat outside The Sun pub at about 6pm on April 13 last year.

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Recent court hearings

During the attack, Khan was armed with a tyre iron and Sharma threw a pint glass at a window in acts described by Judge Neil Stewart as "completely unacceptable violence".

He said: "I have seen the CCTV of the incident and I have to say it is absolutely disgraceful. It is violence on the streets in an urban area at a time when there were a lot of people both on the street and in the pub who must have been frightened.

"Whatever background there was between those involved or threats made in the past, [it] offers no excuse whatsoever."

Attack sparked by 'bad blood'

Laying out the prosecution's case, Peter Pride explained how the attack, all caught on CCTV, had been sparked by "bad blood" between Sammy Joseph, a friend of Khan and Sharma, and Josh Green who was sat outside the pub with his friend James Greg.

After an exchange of words, Mr Joseph left the area and returned with a group of around eight people, including Khan.

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Rupert Hallowes, who mitigated for both Khan and Sharma, said Khan had been a victim of "sustained racial abuse" from Mr Green and his family including numerous attempted assaults, one of which featured a knife.

Mr Hallowes also told the court that on one occasion Mr Green and his brothers went to the home of Khan's parents saying they wanted to kill his brother and burn their house down.

Foolish young men

Mr Hallowes did accept that, in relation to this incident, there had been "trivial" provocation and said that both men regretted their actions.

He said: "These are both foolish young men, frightened young men, and I would ask you to give them a chance to make good what happened that day in Redhill."

Khan was sentenced to eight months in a young offender institution, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and attend 25 days of rehabilitation activity.

Sharma was sentenced to an 18-month community order, and ordered to do 70 hours of unpaid work and attend 15 days of rehabilitation activity.